What Actually Separates a Good Rain Jacket From a Great One
Almost every jacket sold as waterproof will keep you dry for an hour. The question is what happens on hour six, in steady rain. A great rain jacket will keep you in the field longer and in position when an opportunity arises.
Here is what actually separates them.
Waterproof, water-resistant, and the gap between
Water-resistant means a coating on the face fabric that makes water bead up. It works until the coating wets out, usually sooner than you would like, and always sooner in bush that keeps brushing against you.
Waterproof means a membrane laminated behind the face fabric, plus taped seams. The membrane is what stops water; the coating on the outside just stops the face fabric from soaking through and killing breathability. This is the difference between a cheap slicker and something like Sitka's GORE-TEX rain gear, where the membrane — not just a surface treatment — is doing the work.
If a jacket does not have taped seams, it is not a wet weather jacket. Water comes in at stitch holes long before it comes through fabric.
Reading the numbers without being sold to
Two numbers usually get quoted:
- Hydrostatic head (mm) - how much water pressure the membrane resists. Anything from 10,000 mm up is considered "waterproof". This measures how much water pressure the fabric and membrane can resist before liquid forces its way through. For hunting the reality is a higher hydrostatic head matters, especially where pressure concentrates: shoulders under pack straps, and your backside if you sit down. Sitka's GORE-TEX laminates exceed 28,000mm giving full protection from the elements.
- Breathability (g/m²/24h, or MVTR) - how much moisture can escape. This is the number that decides whether you arrive dry or just wet from the inside.
Breathability beats waterproofing in practice
Most people who describe a jacket as “leaking” were actually sweating it out from the inside. If you are working hard, you can generate more moisture than any membrane can pass. Especially in the humidity that can be present in New Zealand conditions.
Which is why mechanical venting matters as much as the fabric spec:
- Pit zips the single most useful feature on a hunting shell to prevent sweating out the inside of the jacket.
- Thigh vents on bibs and pants
Fit and features that matter in the field
- Layers over a mid It needs to fit over the extra layers you'll actually be wearing
- Hood that fits over a cap and adjusts so it turns with your head
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Pockets above the pack hip belt placed specifically to stay accessible while wearing a pack and optics harness
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Cuffs you can adjust with gloves on
Keep it working
Waterproof jackets fail from dirt and body oils far more often than from wear. Sweat, sunscreen and insect repellent all break down the outer coating.
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Wash it - a dirty jacket breathes worse and wets out faster. Before washing your garment, zip the front, pits and pockets and be sure to fasten all flaps and straps.
Machine wash on a warm permanent press cycle (40°C). Use a technical liquid detergent. Don’t use powder detergents, fabric softeners, stain removers, or bleach. Don’t wash with heavily soiled clothing. Rinse twice, and minimize spinning to reduce creasing.
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Dry it - You can either line dry or tumble dry it on a warm, gentle cycle.
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Reactivate it - Once it’s dry, tumble dry the garment on low heat for 20 minutes to reactivate the durable water repellent (DWR) treatment on the outer fabric. You can do this anytime you notice the water repellency needs a boost.
Or iron on low through a cloth if the care label allows, heat reactivates most coatings.
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Re-proof - When water no longer beads up on your garment’s outer fabric, you can restore its DWR by using a topical spray or a wash-in DWR treatment. These treatments help restore the DWR on the outer shell fabric of the garment so that it remains water and stain repellent.
Choosing between two good jackets
If you are stuck, decide which of these you are:
- You cover ground. Prioritize breathability, venting and weight. A lighter shell you actually carry like Sitka's Dew Point beats a bombproof one left at the truck.
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You sit still in bad weather. Prioritize waterproofing, coverage and a proper hood. Weight matters less if you're stuck in a downpour, this is where Sitka's Dew Point Pro rain shell earns its keep.
Where to start
Tell us where you hunt and how hard you walk, and we will tell you which of these is the right call. Get in touch.
